Pedro Fernandes de Castro | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | c. 1290 |
| Died | 1342 Algeciras |
| Buried | Choir of theCathedral of Santiago de Compostela |
| Noble family | Castro |
| Spouses | Infanta Beatrice of Portugal Isabel Ponce de Leon |
| Father | Fernando Rodrigues de Castro |
| Mother | Violante Sánchez of Castile |
Pero Fernandes de Castro orPedro Fernández de Castro (c. 1290 – Algeciras, 1342), nicknamedo da Guerra ('of the War')[1], was aGalician noble and military figure of theHouse of Castro, descended by illegitimate lines from the kings ofCastile-Leon-Galicia. Pero Fernandes de Castro was Lord ofLemos andSarria and served asmordomo mor (lord steward) ofAlfonso XI of Castile,adiantado (governor) ofAndalusia,Galicia andMurcia andpertigueiro mor (a title similar to the FrenchVidame) of the lands ofSantiago.
He was the father ofFernando Ruis de Castro, QueenJoana de Castro (wife ofPeter of Castile), the controversialInês de Castro (consort KingPeter I of Portugal) andÁlvaro Pires de Castro.
Pedro Fernandes de Castro (o da Guerra) was the son ofFernando Rodríguez de Castro and his wifeViolante Sánchez of Castile, an illegitimate daughter ofSancho IV,King of Castile and Leon.[2] He was the paternal grandson ofEstevo Fernandes de Castro, Lord of Lemos and Sarria, and his wife, Aldonza Rodríguez de León, granddaughter ofAlfonso IX of Leon. On his mother's side, he was a grandson ofSancho IV of Castile, King of Castile and León, and his mistress María Alfonso Téllez de Meneses.
His father,Fernando Rodrigues de Castro, was killed in battle in 1304, while fighting againstInfante Philip of Castile, son ofSancho IV of Castile. On the death of his father, Pedro was sent by his mother to theKingdom of Portugal, where he was raised and educated along withInfante D. Pedro,Count of Barcelos, an illegitimate son of KingDenis of Portugal. Around the year 1319, Pedro Fernandes de Castro returned toGalicia andAlfonso XI of Castile gave him his ancestral manor ofLemos andSarria and appointed him Lord Steward of the realm. In 1330, Pedro accompaniedKing Alfonso on his campaign into Granada and led the Christian attack at theBattle of Teba
In 1334,Afonso IV of Portugal invaded the kingdom of Castile and León, entering through the lands ofGalicia. However, Pedro Fernandes de Castro refused to fight against him, due to the favors he received in the past at the court of Portugal.Alfonso XI gave him theCounty of Trastámara, which the sovereign had intended to give his sonHenry. Due to his military skills, Alfonso XI sent Pedro Fernandes to fight Muslims inAndalusia, where he fought at theBattle of Salado in 1340, where tradition refers to Pedro Fernandes de Castro grabbed his spurs of gold from theMarinid sultan of Morocco,Abu Al-Hasan Ali ibn Othman.
He participated in thesiege of Algeciras in 1342, which he led his retinue in the company ofMartim Fernández de Gres,Archbishop of Santiago de Compostela.
Pedro Fernandes de Castro died in 1342, being a victim of an epidemic during thesiege of Algeciras.
His first wife was,Beatrice of Portugal, Lady of Lemos, youngest daughter ofAfonso of Portugal, Lord of Portalegre[3] andViolante Manuel, granddaughter of KingFerdinand III of Castile and León. There were no children from this marriage.[3]
His second wife was,Isabel Ponce de Leon,[3] daughter of Pedro Ponce de Leon, Lord ofCangas andTineo, and his wife, Sancha Gil de Bragança. Their children were:
From his mistress,Aldonça Lourenço de Valladares were born:[7]
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At his death, the body of Pedro Fernandez de Castro was taken toGalicia and buried in theCathedral of Santiago de Compostela. His remains were buried in the choir of the Cathedral. During 19th century his tomb was examined and found next to his remains were some pieces of silk, a brooch and gold spurs, which are supposedly those ofSultan of MoroccoAbu Al-Hasan Ali ibn Othman, of which Pedro Fernandez de Castro had seized during theBattle of Salado.
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